Everyone loves hot water in the shower and at the faucets… but how hot is too hot?
It’s important to maintain a balance between setting the water heater to a temperature reducing the risk of scalding, while also keeping a high enough setting to prevent illness from pathogens/bacteria.
The Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend having your tank-based water heater set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Why? At 120˚F it takes more than five minutes to produce a serious burn on adult skin. It is also energy efficient and can kill bacteria. At 140˚F it kills bacteria faster, but it takes less than 5 seconds to produce a serious burn and it only takes 1/2 second at 160˚F!
What temperature is your water heater set at?